EP2831356B1 - Motor vehicle door lock - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a motor vehicle door lock, with a locking mechanism, further comprising an electric drive for the locking mechanism, and with a child safety element with associated sensor, which can be activated depending on queried by means of the sensor position of the child safety element of the electric drive to open the locking mechanism or deactivatable.

The electrical opening of motor vehicle door locks is well known, including for example the EP 1 225 290 B1 referenced. In general, the procedure is such that a handle, for example an external actuating lever and / or an internal actuating lever, are not mechanically connected to the locking mechanism. Rather, a sensor acted upon by the respective handle ensures that the electric drive is energized in order to be able to open the ratchet in accordance with the motor - and not manually. As a result, operating forces are reduced and it is ensured a safe and reliable opening of the locking mechanism.

As usual, the locking generally consists of a rotary latch and a pawl interacting therewith. With the help of the electric drive, the pawl is typically lifted from the catch, so that it can open spring-assisted. A previously caught locking bolt is released. Consequently, an associated motor vehicle door can also be opened.

In addition to the normal operation described above during electrical opening and a so-called emergency operation is known, which is generally connected to an emergency opening of the locking mechanism. In this case, the teaches EP 1 320 652 B1 a controllable by the electric drive intermediate lever. In the emergency opening or emergency operation, the intermediate lever couples with the help of a through-pin acted upon by the external operating lever Release lever with the pawl. In this way, in the emergency opening or in emergency operation of the external operating lever, the pawl directly mechanically lift.

Furthermore, means are provided which enable a temporary deactivation in the activated state. The means are composed of a switch, a sensor and an internal actuating means.
In a motor vehicle door lock of the construction described above, as shown in the DE 102 59 972 B4 is described, a motor vehicle door lock system is realized, which is equipped with a mechanical child safety lever as a child-safety element. The child safety lever is assigned means for interrogating the mechanical switching state. In addition, there is a control unit which activates or deactivates a handle or electrical internal actuating means in dependence on an output signal of the sensor assigned to the security element. As a result, the known child safety device can be electrically activated and deactivated as it were.

In addition, a child safety inside switch is provided with the help of the inner door handle and consequently also the inner door handle switch can be temporarily disabled. Thus, for example, despite activated parental control can achieve that a child or an adult person can get off automatically. D. h., The internal electrical operation is released in this case only if a driver of the motor vehicle decides this positive. The invention is based on the technical problem of further developing such a motor vehicle door lock so that the overall functional reliability is increased, in particular during and after an accident and a cost-saving simplification of the solutions of the prior art.

To solve this technical problem, a generic motor vehicle door lock is within the scope of the invention characterized in that the electric drive transfers the activated child safety element in emergency mode in its deactivated position.

The child safety element ensures in its activated position, as usual, that an associated internal operating lever is empty. D. h., A vehicle occupant can not open an associated motor vehicle door with activated child protection element from the inside. In contrast, an opening operation by means of an external operating lever on the relevant motor vehicle door is possible unchanged, which corresponds to the usual parental control function.

If it now comes to an emergency operation or emergency opening is required, the invention ensures that the activated child-safety element is transferred in such an emergency operation purely electrically in a deactivated function. As a result, a motor vehicle occupant in this emergency operation and despite activated child-safety element open an associated motor vehicle door and thereby free, for example. The same applies to front passengers who in such a case, for example, want to leave an associated motor vehicle via rear doors equipped with child restraints.

The overall design is such that in the course of this emergency operation in case of failure of the electronics, the respective motor vehicle door lock can be opened mechanically in any case via the outside door handle.

The child safety element according to the invention, a switch or a sensor generally assigned. With the help of this switch or sensor can be realized either a temporary deactivation of the activated child safety. In this case, the switch may advantageously be arranged on a dashboard in the interior of an associated motor vehicle and is designed in this context as a dashboard switch. If this switch or dashboard switch is actuated, for example, by a driver, the previously activated child safety element can thereby be deactivated - at least temporarily - in a targeted manner. As a result, there is the possibility that, for example, an adult can open an associated rear door from the inside, including mechanically inserted child safety device. It has proved to be advantageous if the switch and the unlocking switch is used for the door lock.
As a rule, a control unit is provided with the aid of which individual child safety elements in a motor vehicle can be selectively activated / deactivated. In addition, the control unit may ensure that the one switch or the respective car door lock belonging respective switch are evaluated and the car door lock is acted upon accordingly. In other words, with the aid of the control unit, individual motor vehicle doors can be activated and deactivated precisely and optionally with regard to their child safety elements, at least temporarily. This can basically be done via one or more switches or via a menu control. As a result, a driver has the ability to disable individual or all child safety elements in case of need, to allow people there unhindered exit from the motor vehicle.

In terms of design, the design is generally such that the child-safety element interacts with a clutch lever via a driver. The clutch lever in turn ensures that the driver is coupled with a locking lever. In addition, the clutch lever may be slidably mounted on the actuating lever.

If the child safety element is in the deactivated position, then the driver and the clutch lever allow movements of the locking lever. That's the usual and usual functionality. That is, the disabled child lock allows movements of the lock lever both in its "unlocked" position and "locked" in its position.

By contrast, when the child safety element is in its active or activated position, the driver and the clutch lever ensure that the locking lever is held in its "locked" position. In any case, the transition of the child-safety element from its position "disabled" in the "activated" position ensures that the locking lever is transferred to the "locked" position, if he had previously been in its "unlocked" position.

As already explained, the clutch lever is slidably mounted on the actuating lever. Depending on its position on the actuation lever, the clutch lever ensures that the actuation lever is mechanically coupled to a release lever or the actuation lever executes an idle stroke with respect to the release lever in question. The operating lever is typically the inside operating lever.

The interpretation is usually made so that the question in question operating lever or internal operating lever and the release lever are mounted coaxially. At this point, a generally anchored in the lock case or generally in the lock housing rotation axis is provided, on which both the actuating lever and the release lever are mounted.

The clutch lever usually has two actuating pins at its two opposite ends. In this case, the one actuating pin may be formed as a locking pin. The locking pin passes through a recess in the driver and also the locking lever or a recess provided in the locking lever. The other actuating pin is formed in contrast as a trigger pin. The trigger pin passes through a recess in the actuating lever and interacts in the engaged position of the clutch lever with an edge or a boom of the release lever. In this engaged position of the clutch lever actuation of the actuating lever ensures that the same axis mounted trigger lever follows this movement and can follow. With the help of the release lever, the pawl can be lifted mechanically from the catch when the clutch lever is engaged, so that it opens spring-assisted.

In the solution according to the invention, the child safety device remains mechanically activated during the electrical deactivation. It is only possible that after unlocking the electrical internal operation for opening the car lock is temporarily put into operation.

Fig. 1

einen Kraftfahrzeugtürverschluss in der Position "verriegelt sowie Kindersicherung deaktiviert",

Fig. 2

zeigt den Kraftfahrzeugtürverschluss nach Fig. 1 in der Stellung "verriegelt und Kindersicherung aktiviert" und

Fig. 3

zeigt ein prinzipielles Funktionsschema.

In the following the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to a drawing showing only one exemplary embodiment; show it:

Fig. 1

a motor vehicle door lock in the position "locked and disabled child safety lock",

Fig. 2

shows the vehicle door lock after Fig. 1 in the position "locked and child lock activated" and

Fig. 3

shows a basic functional scheme.

In the Fig. 1 and 2 a motor vehicle door lock is shown, which is equipped with a catch not shown in detail of rotary latch and pawl. On the pawl, a release lever 1 can operate opening, if this release lever 1 is pivoted about its associated axis 2 in a clockwise direction, as an arrow in the Fig. 1 suggests. In fact, such a clockwise movement of the release lever 1 about its axis 2 corresponds to the not explicitly shown pawl is pivoted away from its engagement in the rotary latch, so that the rotary latch can open spring-assisted. A previously captured locking bolt is released and the associated motor vehicle door can be opened.

The described opening movement of the release lever 1 can be done both mechanically and by motor. For the motor opening of the release lever 1 provides a sake of clarity only in the Fig. 1 indicated electric drive 3, 4, which is composed essentially of an electric motor 3 and driven by the electric motor 3 driven pulley 4. If the driven pulley 4 in the embodiment according to Fig. 1 Performs counterclockwise movements, is provided on the driven pulley 4 and not explicitly shown

Opening contour able to act on the release lever 1, which pivots as a result of this action about its axis 2 in the indicated clockwise direction and as described lifts the pawl of the rotary latch.

Alternatively, the trigger lever 1 but also mechanically by means of an actuating lever 5 in the clockwise direction about its axis 2 are pivoted. The actuating lever 5 is in the example and not limiting to an internal operating lever 5. The actuating lever 5 and the release lever 1 are mounted coaxially to each other, so have the matching axis. 2

On the operating lever 5, a clutch lever 6 is slidably mounted. The clutch lever 6 has at its end facing the actuating lever 5 via a merely indicated actuating pin 7, which in the present case is designed as a tripping pin 7. The trigger pin 7 passes through a recess 8 in the operating lever or the inner actuating lever 5 and can interact in the engaged position of the clutch lever 6 with an edge or a boom of the release lever 1.

Is the clutch lever 6 in his in Fig. 1 only dash-dotted lines indicated right end position compared to the recess 8 in the operating lever 5 (position "engaged"), the tripping pin 7 on the clutch lever 6 interact with the release lever 1, as soon as the operating lever or inner lever 5 to the common to the release lever 1 axis. 2 is pivoted clockwise. For this purpose, an inner door handle 20 or a corresponding action on the inner door handle 20 can provide.

In this position, "engaged" of the clutch lever 6 is consequently a continuous mechanical connection between the operating lever or the inner actuating lever 5, the trigger lever 1 and finally the locking mechanism, so that the acted internal door handle 20 can open the locking mechanism. To this position corresponds the position "engaged" of the clutch lever 6 and also a position "unlocked" (ER) of a locking lever to be discussed in more detail below 10. In addition, in this functional position, a later described in more detail parental control designed or disabled.

The one actuating pin 7 is as described previously designed as a trigger pin 7 and acts in the position "engaged" of the clutch lever 6 in not inserted or designed child safety and the position "unlocked" the Locking lever 10 as a mechanical coupling between the operating lever 5 and the release lever 1 - as described. The other at the opposite end of the coupling lever 6 provided actuating pin 9 is a locking pin 9. The locking pin 9 passes through the locking lever 10 and provided at this point in the locking lever 10 recess 11 and additionally a driver 12, which also with a Locking pin 9 receiving and leading recess 13 is equipped.

As already indicated above, the motor vehicle door lock has a child safety lock or can be a child safety function, so that the motor vehicle door lock in question is primarily used on rear doors of passenger cars or can come. The parental control is in this context with a child safety element 14 equipped. In addition, the child safety device has a sensor 15 associated with the child safety element 14. With the help of the sensor 15, the position of the child safety element 14 can be queried. The sensor 15 is connected to a control unit 16, which also acts on the electric motor 3 when needed and initiates the electrical opening already described. In addition, a switch 17 is still provided, which may be formed in the present case as a dashboard switch 17. The signals of said switch 17 are also processed by the control unit 16. The switch or dashboard switch 17 may be arranged in the interior of a motor vehicle body and is preferably designed as a locking and unlocking switch 17.

The child safety element 14 can basically assume two different positions within the scope of the exemplary embodiment. In fact, the child safety element 14 is within the scope of the illustration Fig. 1 in its position "designed or disabled", whereas the functional position after the Fig. 2 to the position "engaged or activated" of the parental control element 14 and consequently the parental control as a whole corresponds. For this purpose, the child-safety element 14 is a Betätigungsnuss, which can be pivoted as usual mechanically using, for example, a key, a screwdriver, etc. from outside the vehicle door lock ago. In order to fix the individual positions of the child safety element 14, this has an integrally formed nose 14 ', which interacts with a latching formation 18 on the lock housing.

Depending on which position of the child safety element 14 of the associated sensor 15 transmits to the control unit 16, this ensures that the electric motor 3 and the electric drive 3, 4 is activated or deactivated to open the locking mechanism. For example, is the child safety element 14 in its position "designed or disabled" according to the Fig. 1 , the locking mechanism can be electrically opened when the control unit 16 receives an additional signal from a sensor 19. In this sensor 19 is a sensor 19, which interrogates movements of an inner door handle 20. If the inner door handle 20 is pulled or actuated, the sensor 19 is also acted upon, which in turn is interpreted by the control unit 16 as an opening request.

If the control unit 16 determines in this case that the child-resistant element 14 is in its "deactivated" position (by interrogation of the associated sensor 15), then an (electrical) inner opening of the motor vehicle door closure is permitted.

D. h., In the position child safety off or in the "disabled" position of the child safety element 14, the locking lever 10 both the "unlocked (ER)" and "locked (VR)" occupy. Only when the locking lever 10 has been transferred to the "unlocked (ER)" position, the clutch lever 6 is in its "engaged" position. Then, the operating lever 5 and the release lever 1 are engaged.

For example, in case of failed electric drive in the functional position after Fig. 1 to open the locking mechanism, a so-called "Zweihubbetätigung" of the operating lever 5 is required. For this purpose, the actuating lever 5 at a first stroke, ie during a rotational movement in Clockwise for the locking lever 10 from the position "locked" (VR) according to the Fig. 1 into the position "unlocked (ER)" passes. At the same time the clutch lever 6 is "engaged". In the next stroke then the operating lever 5 can work with the help of the engaged clutch lever 6 on the release lever 1 to open the locking mechanism.

With "activated" child safety and thus "activated" child-safety element 14, an actuation of the actuating lever 5 about the axis 2 in the clockwise direction causes the clutch lever 6 in comparison to the position after Fig. 2 moved virtually upwards or is pivoted counterclockwise about acting as an axis locking pin 9 and in any case can not interact with the release lever 1. D. h., Any operations of the inner door handle 20 go empty respectively correspond to a desired idle stroke. The motor vehicle door lock is "locked" and the child safety device is inserted. Consequently, indoor activities go blank.

If in this functional position, the switch or dashboard switch 17 is actuated and the control unit 16 receives a corresponding signal, so the control unit 16 provides for unlocking the locking mechanism and hold the switch for a temporary electrical deactivation of child safety. In this case, the signal of the sensor 15 associated with the child safety element 14 is bypassed or ignored. D. h., The switch 17 provides for a temporary deactivation of the otherwise activated child safety, in which the child protection element 14 is unchanged in the "activated" position according to the Fig. 2 located. This is basically in the function overview after Fig. 3 shown.

Here you can see that there are two options with activated child safety element 14. If, in addition, the switch or dashboard switch 17 is actuated in this functional position and with the sensor 15 acted upon, this is interpreted by the control unit 16 as meaning that the electrical drive 3, 4 can be acted upon, as shown by the upper sequence of functions.

If, on the other hand, it is not necessary to actuate the additional switch 17, then the acted upon sensor 15, in conjunction with the control unit 16 interrogating the sensor 15, ensures that the electric drive 3, 4 does not experience any loading. That's in the lower part of the Fig. 3 shown.

Claims (13)

1. Motor vehicle door latch, with a locking mechanism, furthermore with an electrical drive (3, 4) for the locking mechanism and with a child lock element (14) with an associated sensor (15), whereby according to the position of the child lock element (14) queried with the aid of the sensor (15) the electrical drive (3, 4) can be activated or deactivated to open the locking mechanism, characterized in that by means of a switch (17) the activated child lock element (14) can be deactivated in emergency operation and the locking mechanism can be opened by the electrical drive (3, 4) and the switch (17) optionally ensures temporary electrical deactivation of the activated child lock.
2. Motor vehicle door latch according to claim 1, characterized in that the switch (17) is formed as a dashboard switch (17) inside a motor vehicle and is simultaneously formed as a bolting and unbolting switch.
3. Motor vehicle door latch according to one of the claims 1 to 2, characterized in that a control unit (16) is provided for, with the aid of which individual child lock elements (14) can optionally be activated / deactivated in a motor vehicle and which evaluates the respective switch (17) and acts on the pertaining electrical drive correspondingly (3, 4).
4. Motor vehicle door latch according to one of the claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the child lock element (14) interacts with a coupling lever (6) by means of a tappet (12).
5. Motor vehicle door latch according to claim 4, characterized in that the coupling lever (6) couples the tappet (12) with a bolting lever (10).
6. Motor vehicle door latch according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the coupling lever (6) is shiftably accommodated on an operating lever (5).
7. Motor vehicle door latch according to one of the claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the tappet (12) and the coupling lever (6) permit movements of the bolting lever (10) in the deactivated position of the child lock element (14).
8. Motor vehicle door latch according to one of the claims 6 to 7, characterized in that the tappet (12) and the coupling lever (6) keep the bolting lever (10) in its "bolted" position in the activated position of the child lock element (14).
9. Motor vehicle door latch according to one of the claims 6 to 8, characterized in that the coupling lever (6) mechanically couples the operating lever (5) with a triggering lever (1) according to its position on the operating lever (5) or causes a redundant stroke of the operating lever (5) in respect of the triggering lever (1).
10. Motor vehicle door latch according to claim 6, characterized in that the operating lever (5) and the triggering lever (1) are mounted coaxially.
11. Motor vehicle door latch according to one of the claims 4 to 10, characterized in that the coupling lever (6) is equipped with two operating pins (7, 9).
12. Motor vehicle door latch according to claim 11, characterized in that one operating pin (9) is formed as a bolting pin and penetrates through the bolting lever (10) and a recess (13) in the tappet (12).
13. Motor vehicle door latch according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that the other operating pin (7) on the coupling lever (6) penetrates through a recess (8) in the operating lever (5).

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